Jeweller - November 2021

S&S
organic processes – amber and golden South Sea pearls reflect
the warm, rich hues found in nature.
STONES& SILVER
STERLING SILVER JEWELLERY
Golden South Sea pearls are among the largest and most
valuable pearls, grown in the gold-lipped variety of Pinctada
maxima oysters over a period of two to four years – far longer
than freshwater or Akoya pearl varieties.
Unlike white South Sea pearls, which are primarily farmed in
Australia, golden South Sea pearls are predominantly grown
in the Philippines and Indonesia, with a minority sourced from
Australia and occasionally Myanmar (Burma).
Their natural colour requires no enhancement and is the
primary determinant of their value; the richer the golden tone,
the more highly prized the pearl.
The deepest golden tone is often referred to as '24 carat'.
Amber, meanwhile, is one of the more well-known organic
gems is fossilised tree resin prized for its rich golden hues.
When plant or animal fragments are suspended within the
material, they can offer a fascinating peek into our planet’s
primordial past.
It ranges in colour, but the best-known specimens are yellow
to yellow-brown.
[Golden South Sea pearls'] natural
colour requires no enhancement
and is the primary determinant of
their value; the richer the golden
tone, the more highly prized the pearl.
The deepest golden tone is often
referred to as '24 carat'”
Chemically, amber is a hydrocarbon – a compound of carbon,
oxygen and hydrogen – although the chemical constituents vary
between sources worldwide.
Unearthed predominantly in the Baltic Sea region of Europe,
it is also found in the Dominican Republic, Myanmar (Burma),
Mexico and some other European localities.
Not all tree resin is destined to become amber. Much like all
fossils, there are specific environmental conditions of heat,
pressure and biology that are required for the fossilisation to
take place.
The two-part process of transformation from tree resin to
amber is called ‘amberisation’.
Over the course of 2–10 million years, the resin begins to harden
through a process of molecular polymerisation. Here, the resin
must be in an anaerobic (oxygen-free) condition under layers of
overlying sediment, where pressure and heat can transform the
soft resin into harder and more stable ‘copal’ resin.
From here, sustained heat and pressure can further evaporate
terpenes (organic compounds within the resin) to form a hard,
solid natural plastic – amber.
Ph: +61 3 9587 1215
Email: info@stonesandsilver.com.au
stonesandsilver.com.au